Jan 25, 2010

Pages Writing Group - Recap

PAGES Writer's Gathering ~ Thursday, January 14, 2010


Upcoming Pages ~ always the second Thursday of each month…
• February 11
• March 11
• April 8
• May 13 ~ MY DUE DATE!!! So, I may not be here… But PAGES will happen, no doubt!

Spring Inklings ~ deadline March 19 to submit you poems, short stories, and reflections. Email them to deAnn.

Gallery Opening/Meet the Artist & Encounter - A Night of Worship
Friday, February 5 at 6:30 in the coffee bar, meet NYC artist, Lanie McNulty. Coffee and desserts will be available. Followed by a night of worship beginning at 7:30 in the main auditorium.

Save the Date:
Tuesday, March 9 at 7pm – Author of Finding Divine Inspiration, J. Scott McElroy, will be coming to speak to the arts ministry. More details to come…check back to this blog for more info.

Food For thought:
“We are here for a reason. We each have abilities, and the trick is to search them out and figure out a way to use them. Someone famous once said that the only really tragedy in life is not to use the gifts and talents that God gave us… It is a tragedy, too often realized, to under utilize your abilities.”
Caroline Sharp, A Writer’s Workbook

The Writing Challenge/Exercise:
I handed out random images and each of us selected one that we liked or were naturally drawn to. We studied the photo, imagining what's happening in that moment in that world right now? Then we asked ourselves some questions that would lend us to build a scene that would lead to a story. For instance:

Where is this? What can you smell? What is on the mind of this person? Etc. This is a chance to go way out there detail-wise. Create characters, who is in this scene? Why are they there? What are they doing? Where are they going? Who will enter the scene and why? This story doesn’t have to be rational or realistic either. Create a new world, a place of mystery or fantasy = think of Alice in Wonderland, be creative!

After writing in silence for an hour, we briefly shared what that experience was like - the experience of making up a scene, a character, a story. There were some reallly interesting starts that the writers will expand upon. I can't wait to read their finished stories - that orginated from a visual prompt. It was an awesome night of writing and community as we stretched ourselves to try something "new."

Below are some of the images we choose from for our individual writing prompt.
















Enjoy the writing life...
Grace & peace ~ deAnn

deAnn Roe - director of creative arts at Living Word Community Church - droe@lwccyork.com or 717-755-0089 x126

1 comment:

Flamingo said...

I'm thinking I need to line up a babysitter. I want to come...I NEED to come:)